Track rail gauge



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W- H. CLEVELAND TRACK RAIL GAUGE Filed Nov 26, 1928 hww lmwl hnuu llllllll l l| Jan. 5, 1932.

Jan. 5, 1932. w. H. CLEVELAND TRACK RAIL GAUGE Filed Nov. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-She v BK 1 ATTORNEY Fill/l4 s lit Patented Jan. 5, resal sea-T eer eerr'ori VIILLIAIVI H. CLEVELAND; F WELLINGTUN, KAN'SAS TRACK BAIL GAUGE Application filed November 2c, 1929. Serial No. 322,044.

Further, it is anobject to provide a railauge with removable shims so that it may rails through curves.

Still furtherit'is' an object to provide a gauge which will work freely with. beaded or ragged edge rails. 7 v

. Another object to provide a gaugehaving hinged sections so designed and con structed as to permit ready placement and removal without friction. at the points of contact between gauge and rails, thereby enabling the rail to b-espiked down tight while the gauge is in place; it also is an object to coordinate the parts ofthe hinge-joint and the rail-contacting endof the hinged section so that the joint'can be broken without friction between rail and gauge and without appreciable wear'on the gauge.

Further, it is an object to provide the hinged members with a locking device of such construction as will effectively hold the sections rigidly in line while the gauge is applied. r A still further object is to'so design and construct the joint between the sections of the gauge as to reduce wear onthe hinge pin to a minimum. Yet another objectis to so arrange the essential parts of the device that old types of rigid track gauges with worn-out points, due to rail contact rendering them inoper ative, may be reclaimed and ,made operative by attachi with a suitable union connection to the old gauge part, a portion (the hinged end including the. locking device and the O be employed in determining the gauge of they track engaging section) of my: apparatus,

thus conserving both material and labor, by

retaining the major portion of the in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the'aforesa'id objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel details of construction and in the'combination connection and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described. andthen pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of arailway with my'invention in use. l

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the gauge in the act of. being placed the rails being shown in cross section.

Figure 3 is a view'similar to Figure 2, showing the device in vertical longitudinal section in the applied position. Figure 4 IS a detailside elevation hinged ra l-contactlng member.

Figure 5 is a plan thereof.

of. the

Figure 6 is across section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a cross section on the line 77 of Figure 3.

Figure Sis a detail vertical longitudinal section showmg how the shuttle lock is placed 801 in position on the channelled bar. v

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the gauge with a shim in place.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective View ofthe. 5

shim.

Figure llis a detail elevation showing how oldgauge parts may be utilized. j I f By referring'to the accompanyingdrawings in which like numerals of reference inclicate like parts in all of the figuresiit will be seen thatthe gauge comprises the main bar 1 preferably of U-shape or channelled section; To one end of the bar 1 is secured the fork 2 which may or may not be insulated at 3 from the body as may-be desired.

Thefork 2 has'its furcations provided with top rests 4 tolie on the head or ball of the rail and with gauge faces 5 that contact the sides of the head or ball of the rail. The gauge faces 5, in my invention, are providedwit old gauge 1 in service when desired.

Otherobjects will in part be obvious'and 5 recesses 6 for the reception of the beads or ragged edges of the worn rails.

The main bar 1 near its other end is slotted in the top as at 7 for the passage of the foot and neck of the shuttle lock, the bar at the ends of the slot being under-oevelled as at 8 and over-bevelled as at 9 to facilitate the in troduction and withdrawal of the locking foot of the shuttle lock hereinafter referred to.

10 designates the pivot bolt for the movable or hinged rail-contacting member.

The bar 1 at its end remote from the fork 2 is provided with vertical end wall portions 11 and downwardly and, backwardly inclined end wall portions 12. The hinged rail contacting memberl which lies in the channel of the bar 1 is provided with vertical wall portions 15 and inclined wall portions 16 to cooperate with the wall portions 11 and 12 respectively.

The outer end of the member 13 has a top rest 17 to lie on the head or ball of the rail and a gauge face 18 to engage the side of the head or ball of the rail, the face 18 having a recess 19 for the reception of beads or ragged edges of the rail.

The rail-contacting member 13 has a rear top inclined wall 20 serving as a stop to limit th'e'hinge movement or break the joint. It also has a second inclined. wall 21 so as to clear the toe of the shuttle foot when the joint is broken. The shuttle lock body 22is also of channelled section to fit over the bar 1 and it is provided with a foot 23 connected to the bot vby a spacer block or neck 24 that operates in the slot 7. The heel 25 of the shuttle locks foot. when the parts are assembled, lies continuously beneath the bevelled portion 9 of the bar 1 while the toe part 26 lies beneath the under-bevelled part 8 of the bar 1.

The toe 26 has a bevelled contact face 27 on its lower surface to cooperate with the inclined wall 20. and it has a flat top face 28 to cooperate with the top wall of the bar 1. in locking the hinged rail-contacting member in its operative position. i

It will be noted particularly by reference to Figure 8, that the shuttle lock foot 23 has a recess 29 adjacent its toe end, the purpose of which is to permit the ready insertion and withdrawal of the lock from the bar 1 when the hinged rail-contacting member 13 has been detached.

When it is desired to use the gauge on curved track it is necessary to employ a suit able shim 30 which, according to my invention, consistsof body having a front wall 31, a bottom wall 32 and side walls 35, the

latter having; pin holes 34 for the reception of cotter pins 37 which pass through a pin hole 36111 the head 1 1 and retain the shim on the head. The shim has a bevelled edge 33 which merges with the recess 19 and enables the shims front wall to contact the side of the rail head or ball beneath the bead or ragged edge (if it be an old worn rail).

In order to utilize the old track gauges that have become worn I take the old gauge and out off the single contact end a distance sufficient to enable a new section of gauge employing the hinged member and shuttle lock to be attached to the old section. This construction is best indicated in Figure 11, by reference to which it will be seen that 39 designates the old section of the gauge and 410 the new section which carries my invention,'the'two being joined rigidly together by a suitable joint 38 as indicated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a device which may be conveniently employed in correctly gauging the rails of railway tracks under all conditions and is an improvement over other track gauges now in use, inasmuch as it-is adjustable and frictionless, can be used inserted in position and removed without rail friction in contact with the point. It will work freely with beaded or ragged edged rails releasing with a hinged movement (which the rigid gauges now in use fail to do). The vulnerable contact surfaces of my device 'are also cut on such angles that they are rendered immune from friction wear of the parts, thereby preventingwear that would eventually'result in lost motion. In re-gauging rails that have done service under heavy wheel loads it has been found that there is a rolling out or a flow of metal from the top of the ball or head of the rails which flows over to the inner or gauge side of the rail, developing a head or lip projection at the top edge of the ball of the rail. This bead prevents the old rigid gauge being inserted or removed from the rails when the rails are spiked to standard gauge. The recesses 6 and 19 of my gauge receive these beads. If the rails are secured to standard gauge with a rigid gauge, the rigid gauge cannot be removed without damage to the gauge (eventually rendering it inoperative). My hinged gauge however operates without stress under all such conditions, leaving the rails to a standard and uniform gauge below the beaded projections.

Furthermore, with the old type of gauge now in common use,' the points contacting the rails in constant use soon wear away by rail abrasion and become too short. This renders them worthless for the accurate gauging of the rail. With the hinge construction as per my invention there is no friction between the gauge points and the rail, as the movement to rail contact is a lateral forward movement and the release is a lateral retreating or back up movement from the rail. When the hinged device is in serted and the shuttle lock is moved forward to the locked position then the gauge is rigid and immovable until released by backward member rigidly movement of the shuttle look. This backward movement of the sliuttle lock releases the hinged point and then the gauge can be lifted to release it from the rails without friction; v

The cap of the shuttle lock forms a protec tion and is placed at convenient location to be grasped and used as a hand-hold forfthe workmen operating the gauge.

My invention is also constructed so that it may berig tly adjusted to meet the varying requirements in the varying width of the gauge of the rail at fixed measurements. The standard gauge of rails for tangent track is fixed at four feet eight and one-half inches,

and through track'of sharp curvature the width of the gauge between the gauge side of the rails is increased in measurements in ratio to the increased degrees of curvature.

This increase in width of gauge of rails on curves is provided for by so fashioning the hinged point of the gauge as to receive graduated curve shims of thickness conforming to the desired increaseof gauge distance required by the degree of curvature. These curve shims are quickly applied when required, being securedin place by the cotter pin, and can be interchanged quickly as desired, and when not desired the'gauge can be to restored quickly to the standard tangent gauge by drawing'the cotter pin and remov-' ing the shim.

While I have disclosed my improvements as applied to gauges of the channel or U-bar type, it is obvious that they can be applied to gauges of the tubular type if desired war out departing from the scope of the invention.

it is thought the construction, uses and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art, and while I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention it is obvious that changes in the details 57 to and acent the other end of said bar and having provision for engaging the inner side of a rai head, and a locking device on said bar cooperating with saidhinged member and said toreleasably hold said hinged inits operating position.

2. In a track gauge, a bar having a rigid rail-engaging fork at one end having provision for engaging the inner side of a rail head at two places; the combination with said bar of a rail-engaging member mounted From the foregoing description, taken in 40 connection with the accompanying drawings,

at the other end of said bar, means hingin said member to said bar with a one-way join? to break in a vertical direction when in the operative position, and a shuttle lock on said bar to engage said hinged member and releastion when in the operative position, said bar being longitudinally channelled and said member havlnga shank to fit in the channel of said bar and'a head to abut the end of said bar, said shankhaving a rear top incline, and a locking device on said bar to cooperate with saidincline and releasably hold'said member immovable relative to the barwhen said bar and head are in abutting relation.

4:. In a track gauge, a bar having a rigid rail-engaging fork at one end; the combination with said bar of a rail-engaging member mounted at the other end of said bar, means'hinging' said member to said bar with a one-way joint to break in a vertical direction when in the operative position, said bar being longitudinally channelled and said member having arshank to fit in the channel of said bar and a head to abut the end of said bar, said shank having a rear top incline, and a locking device on said bar to. cooperate with said incline and releasably hold said member immovable relative to the bar when saidbar and head are in abutting relation, said locking device comprising a shuttle body fitted over saldbar, a locking foot located in the channel of. said bar, a neck connecting said shuttle body and said foot, said bar having a slot to permit movement of said neck, said foot having a wedge end to engage between said. bar. and said incline for th purposes described.

'5.'In a track gauge, a bar having at one end a fixed rail-engaging element, a movable rail-engaging element hingedly mounted at the other end of said bar with a one-way joint breaking in a vertical direction when in the operativeposition, a locking device on said bar for releasably engaging said movable element to hold the same in operative position,-sai'd raiLengaging elements having top rests, and a face for engaging the side portion of the rail heads, the latter having beadreceiving recesses. r

6. In a track auge, bar having at one end a fixed rail-engaging element, a movable rail-engaging element hingedly mounted at the other end of said bar with a one-way joint breaking in a vertical direction when in the operative position, a locking devicecooperating with said bar and said movable element,

said movable element having aftop rest and a face for engaging the side portion of the I J rail-engaging taco .other end of said rail head, and a shim litter. over said movable elements rail-engagingtace, and means for removably securing s. id shim in position. 7. In a tracl: gauge, a bar having at one end a fixed rail-engaging element,a movable rail-engaging element hingedly mounted at the other end of en breaking in vertical direction, when in the operative position, a locking device cooperating with said bar and said movable element, said movable element having a top rest and a face for engaging the side portion of the rail head, a shim listed over saic. movable elements rail engagin face, and means for removably seeming s d shim in position, said i bead-receiving a surface por Lil recess and sale shin tion merging witn so d recess.

8- Inn rail ga having a fork at one end provided with rail-engaging elements, a rail-engaging member at the other end oi said bar and her g a rail-engaging element at one end thereof, means the other end of said rail-engagin member for hinging it to bar, said rail-engaging members rail-engaging element comprising a head, said bar and head he .coinnleme vertical and inclined end contactwalls therebetween, said rail-eng member having a heel, and a shuttle loci: on said bar with a foot to said and said heel to lock said hinged ra -en aginp member rigic ly to said bar in engag O b 9 I no; positions withsaid walls in contact.

9. In a rail gauge, a bar having a fork at one end provided with rail-engaging elements, a rail-engaging member at the other end of said bar and having a rail-engaging element at one end thereof, means at the rail-engaging member for hinging it to said bar, said rail-engaging members rail-engaging element comprising a head, said bar and head having complementary vertical and inclined end contact walls therebetween, said rail-engaging member having a heel, shuttle lock on said bar with a foot to engage said bar-and sald heel to lock said hinged rail-engaging member rigidly to said bar in engaging positions with said walls in contact, said bar having a slot for the insertion of said foot, said foot being of a greater length than said slot whereby when the parts are assembled said lock is retained against removal from the bar.

10. A rail gauge comprising an articulated body having at one end a two-place railcontacting element, and at the other end a one-place rail-contacting element, means for holding said body rigid at t mes, said means being slidably mounted longitudinally on said body to a release position, said body when said means is in the release position being adapted to be lifted to break its joint and ic, bar with a one way joint simultaneously cause its rail-contacting elements to move away from the rails.

11. In a track gauge, a bar having a railengaging fork at one end, a rail-engaging member hinged when considered with relation to its operative position on a horizontal. axis to and adjacent the other end of said bar, and a locking device on said bar co operating with said hinged member and said bar to releasably hold said hinged member rigidly in its operating position,said railengaging fork and said rail engaging member each having elements for engaging both the top of the rail and the inner face of the head of the rail.

12. In a track gauge, an articulated bar including a channelled section and a second section pivoted thereto, a wedge lock slidably supported on one section and releasabl engaging the other section for holding the sections of the bar in rigid alignment.

13. In a track gauge, an articulated bar including a channelled section having a slot, a loclr mounted on the channelled section and having a portion projecting through said slot and cooperating with the other section of the articulated bar for releasably holding the sections of the bar in rigid alignment.

14. In atracl: gauge, an articulated bar including two sections hinged together, one of said sect-ions having a bifurcated end to contact a rail at two places, the other section having its end single to contact an opposite rail ata single place, the hinge axis of said sections lying parallel to the plane containing the bifurcations ot' the first mentioned section, and a locking device slidably mounted on one section for releasably engaging the other secti-on ofthe articulated bar to hold the sections of the bar in rigid alignment.

WILLIAM H. cnnvnrann. 

